Train controlling and signaling system.



EQWITTLAKB. Y TRAIN CONTROLLING AND; SIGNALING SYSTEM.

' nrrmoxnon FILED W314, 191;.

1 047 474, Patntedbec. 17, 1912.

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MIIIIWIIIY emma.

'f'o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EnNsT VVITTLA'K a citizen of the Empire of Germany, residing at- Hanover, in the Empire of Germany, have invented a new and usefulTrain Controlling and Signaling System, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to a device for auto matically stopping any locomotive, that happens to have run past a semaphore or other signal while it is at danger or indicates the block to be closed. A normally closed and includes a battery and an electromagnet, the armature of which latter when released is adapted to close asignal-circuit shunted to the battery. Two fuse blocks are inserted in the two parts of the main circuit'between the battery and the electromagnetand an open circuit shunted to the electromagnet is adapted to be, closed by means of a lever movable on-the locomotive on being struck by any of a number of operating disks distributed over the track, when the operating disk connected with the semaphore or other signal is moved into the path of the; said lever, whereby the main circuit is short-' circuited, so that the two fuse blocks are burned out, whereby the main circuit is opened and consequently the electromagnet becomes without current and its armature now released-closes the signal circuit. The

' optical signals, alarms and a solenoid controlling the air-brake apparatus of the locomotive, so that on the main circuit being opened the current of its battery will circuboth the optical signals" and the alarms are actuated, but also the air-brake apparatus is set to operate for stopping the locomotive or train. After replacing the molten fuse blocks by fresh ones the device is again ready for work. An interrupter is also disposed on the locomotive so as to enable the driver to open the main circuit in case he 7 is aware'ofthe semaphore or other signal being at danger, so that the fuse blocks are saved. V I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1-is an elevation of the rear part of a-locomotive providedwith the said device and of a mechanism connected with on STATS re ERNST WITTLAKE, F HANOVER, GERMANY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 14, 1912. Serial No. 703,598.

main circuitis disposed on the locomotive,

'4 signal circuit is connected in multiple with late in the signal circuit, whereby not only" some semaphore or other signal for mov TRAIN CONTROLLING- AN'D SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

ing an operating disk into and out of the path of a. lever movable on the locomotive, and Fig. :2 is a diagram of the device.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts in both views.

1 is a chain wheel, which is supported by a suitable standard 2 and is connected by means of a chain 3, 3 with some semaphore or other signal of any known, construction (not shown).. The chain wheel 1' is shown to have a pin 4, which is connected by means of a chain 5 passing over suitable guiding rollers 6 and 7 with the weighted rear arm 8 of a lever 9 fastened on a shaft or pin 10- rockingin a support 11 disposed in some boX 12in the soil. Through the cover 13 of the box 12 a rod 14 is vertically guided,

which is below pivotally connected with the lever 9 by means of a pin 15 engaging in a slot 16 at the free end of the lever. On the upper end the'rod 14:carries an operating disk 17.

On the frame of each locomotive L is disposed a suitable casing 18, in which a shaft 19 is mounted to rock. This shaft has fastened on it a lever 20 below and a contact ,arm 21 above, the free end of which latter is connected by a helical spring 23- with a pin 24 in the casing18. On opposite sides of the shaft-1'9 two contact pieces 25 and 26 are fastened within the casing 18 and are insulated therefrom.. When the respective semaphore or other signal is at safety, it will have by the chain 3 so turned the chain wheel 1, as to raise by means of'the rope 5 the weighted arm 8, so that the other arm 9 .is lowered and by the rod 14 the operating disk 17 is also lowered and, thus moved out of the way of the lever 20 of any. locomotive. The helical spring 23 tends to move the upper arm 21 and therewith the lever 20 into the vertical middle position shown, so that when the locomotive L moves in either direction over the operating disk 17 the lever 20 will not strike this disk but maintainits normal position shown. When, however, the semaphore or other si nal is atidange r,- the chain wh'eell ,wfil have been turnedinto the position shown, so that the weighted arm 8 occupies'it's lower position shown and the operating disk 17 is raised and engages in. the path of: the lever 20. In consequence of thisvthe operating disk 17 will strike the lever20 andturn it into the extreme left position .20 (Fig. 2),

in case the locomotive runs from left to right; or turn the lever into the extreme right] os-itid'n 20", in case the locom'otive runs '1: in right to left. Fastened on the free'end of the arm 21 ,is a contact piece 22, which is adapted to come in contact with the right contact piece 26 for the position 20 of the lever 20 and with the left'contact piece of the interrupter. with a handle 36 of insulating material and two 13% for the'position 20 of the lever. On the locomotive L is disposed abattery 30, which is'connected with an electromagnet 29 by can be thereby turned around two poles 37 and 3,8( When the interrupter I is turned out of contactwith the two poles'33, 34, of course the main circuit will be therebyopened. Two fiuse blocks 39-and 40 are in 1 fserted inthe two conductors 31, 32, so that whenthey melt also the main circuit will he-opened. An optical signal 41 may be :connected between the two conductors 31, 32,

'--'so'-as to indicate whether the main circuit is closed ornot. The above mentioned two contact pieces 25 and 26 are electrically con nected together by. a conductor 27, which in is connected with a conductor 28, that foinst to the conductor 31. The shaft 19 is electrically connected with the conductor 32 shunted to theelectromagnet 29.,

"hy a conductor 42. The parts 28, 27, 26, 25,

22, 21, 19, j2'form" a normally open circuit The armature 130f the electromagnet 29 is provided with two projections 44:, 45,.

which are adapted to engage in two mercury cups 46. 47:"that are conn cted with the two jed betWeen the conductors 48 and 49. A,

poles of the battery 30 ductors 48,49, 50. The! parts 48, 49, 46. 44,

y means of con- 45. 4'7, 50 form anormally open signal cirpuit shunted to the batterv 30. Two 010 tidal signals 51, 52 are shown to be connectsolenoid '53is also disposed on the locomo- 1 tive and is connectedwith the conductor 48 by a conductor 54 and with the above mentioned'"-pole- 38 a conductor 55. Three alarms 56, 57, 58 are'shown to be connected between the conductor 54 and the pole 37 hy'means of'conductor's 59ffi1ldu60. In this manner the. opticalsignals 51, 52, the alarms 156, 57, 58 and the solenoid 53 are connected in multiple with the parts 48, 49 of the signal circuit,

The solenoid 53 is to control the air-brake apparatus of thelocomotive in any known .manner. Forgexa-mple. a brass tube 61 is vertically disposed in the axis of the sole noid-and is connected with'the compressed air tube for the brake gylinders, This tuhe 1solenoid provided 'culates in the main circuit and the electrocurrent.

fuse blocks 39,40 are not rendered useless holes 62, which are normally closed by the movable iron core 63, when the latter occupies its normal lower position, as is shown. On the solenoid 53 being energized the iron core 63 will be attracted upward and uncover the holes 62, 62, so that compressed air is allowed to escape from the tube 61 into the atmosphere and the air-brake apparatus Will set to operate in a known manner.

The device so far described operates as follows: Normally the main circuit 29, 30, 31, 32 is closed, the how 35 of the interrupter I engaging-in the two poles 33, 3 1, so that the current from the battery 30 cirv magnet 29 energized attracts ts armature 43, whereby the signal circuit is opened. When the locomotive happens to run past the semaphore or other signal while it is at danger, the lever 20 striking the operating disk 17 will be thereby turned into either extreme position, whereby the open circuit 28, 27, 26, 25, 42 is temporarily closed and consequently the battery 30 is short-circuited, sothat thetwofuse blocks 39, 40 will melt and the main circuit is opened, therefore the electromagnet 29 becomes without The armature 43 now released drops and by engaging with its two projections 44, 4:5 in the two mercury cups 46, 17 closes thesignal circuit 30, 41-8, 19, 50, so that both the optical signals 51, 52 and the alarms 56,157, 58 are actuated and at the same time the solenoid 5.3 is energized for. setting the air-brake apparatus to operate, whereby the locomotive or train is stopped. In case the locomotive-driver is aware of some semaphore or other signal being at danger, he can at once open the main circuit by turning the how 35 of the interrupter I out of contact wit-h the two poles 33 and 34%, whereby the armature 13 is released and the signal cir cuit is closed, so that the same efi'ects as described above will take place, while the two 110 but remain ready for work. As long as the signal circuit is closed, the visible and audible signals will prevent the locomotive-.- driver from forgetting to again close the main circuit incase'everything is againin or'derr It is obvious, that every semaphore or other signal in the railway systemrequires I to he provided'with the mechanism described for moving anoperating disk 17 into and out of the way of the lever 20 on any loco-.-

motive. v

The train controlling and signaling system described can hevaried ln many respegts without departing from theispnut of my 111 'vention i I claim:

' Lin. a systemot the characterdesci'ihed, I the combination, with 1a veh dle" equipped Withair-mate, real-at s r a came -irate tee closed" main circuit including a battery and an electromagnet, two fuse blocks in said main circuit between the battery and the electromagnet, normally open operating 'circuit' shunted to said electromagnet', a.

spring-pressed lever normally in a middle position and adapted to be turned into either 10 v molten and then said electromagnet becomes Without current, a normally open signal cirextreme position for closing said operating circuit and thus short-circuiting said battery, whereby said two fuse blocks are cuitshunted to said battery and adapted to I be closed by the armature of said electromagnet y when released, said signal circuit being connected-in multiple with visible and I audible signals, also witha solenoid adapted to, set the air-brake apparatus to operate,

and means distributed over the railway system and adapted to operate said springpressed lever. v p

, 2. In a system 'of the character-described,

the combination with a vehicle equipped with an air-brake apparatus, of a normally .-closed ,main' circuit including a-battery andv an electromagnet, two fuse blocks in said main circuit between .the battery" and the electromagnet, a -normal1yopen operating circuit shunted to said electromagnet, a spring-pressed lever normally-in a middle position and adapted to be turned intoeitherextreme position for closing saidoperating circuit and thus short-circuiting said battery, whereby said two fuse blocks are molten and then said electromagnet becomes without current, a normally open signal circuit shunted to said battery and adapted to be closed by the armature of said electro-- magnet when released, said si nal circuit being connected in multiple with visible'and audible signals, also with a solenoid adapted to set the-'air-brake apparatus to operate,- an interrupter in saidmain circuit and adapted to normally close said main circuit, said interrupter when opened breaking the main 

